Ancestral Tourism
Our involvement in this fascinating area continues.
We have written some more clan itineraries for the www.ancestralscotland.com web site, providing web links within the itineraries together with other detailed information.
Reflecting our track record in ancestral tourism we were asked to take part in two events in North America. In April, Cameron spent several days in New York at the invitation of VisitScotland, giving daily talks and one to one sessions with members of the public as part of the Scotland presence at Grand Central Terminal. Some 250,000 people visited the Scotland stand, not all with an interest in ancestral tourism!
In November Cameron gave a presentation at the University of Guelph, Ontario, as part of the First Minister’s visit to the University. The Scottish Executive featured Cameron and Seabridge on www. scotlandistheplace.com to accompany the Guelph event.
We have continued our involvement with the Virtual Emigration Museum project, a joint initiative involving Scottish Museums Council, the National Museums of Scotland, the National Archive of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland. To date we have prepared a development framework and supporting presentation material and two draft research briefs. Funding is now being sought from the Scottish Executive to enable the project to proceed to the next phase.
In Islay we provided support to a highly motivated local ancestral tourism group, preparing an initial development action plan to guide the activities of the group.
Closer to home, we have begun some early planning work in respect of the proposed Orkney Homecoming event scheduled for May 2007. We gave a presentation at the Museums Conference in Glasgow during the summer, reflecting on the 1999 Orkney Homecoming and the lessons that can be learned.
Homecomings are clearly high on the agenda elsewhere too. We recently completed a scoping study for Destination Winnipeg/Travel Manitoba, looking at the issues surrounding Manitoba’s Year of Homecomings, 2008. We are currently working on a marketing plan and organisational study and will be traveling to Manitoba to present the results early in the New Year.
Finally, Cameron has started work on an ancestral tourism book exploring aspects of the connection so many people around the world have with Scotland.
Other Consulting Projects
Northern Epic was introduced in our 2004 review and Cameron is now managing Director of Northern Epic Ltd. A business plan is nearing completion, collaborative partners have been identified and it is hoped that a researcher will be engaged soon.
Wick – We continued our relationship with The Wick Society, culminating in a series of applications to various funding bodies in order to seek funding for the digitisation of the Johnston Collection of glass negatives.
Our relationship with Scottish Screen continued to develop this year, with preparation of an information services review. We recommended the establishment of a more proactive, research focused approach to information management and provision.
Cameron was delighted to provide some assistance to VisitOrkney, providing interim marketing management pending the recruitment of a marketing manager. It was good to be so intimately involved in the production of the 2005 Orkney brochure, in particular.
Continuing our relationship with the Caithness Archaeological Trust, we carried out a review of the Trust’s achievements since preparation of the Trust’s development strategy a few years ago. In a related piece of work, we brought the Orkney and Caithness archaeological trusts together for a seminar, generously hosted at the Dunbeath Heritage Centre. The focus of the seminar was the identification of areas for joint action.
We supported Atlantic Marketing in carrying out a marketing audit for Indigo Park, a Highlands and Islands based digital media start-up business. Our association with Atlantic Marketing has been a long one and they, in turn, supported us in preparing a Business Plan for The Croft, a Lochaber-based film studio and associated complementary facilities.